How much are they worth

[Bob]

Hi All,
I spotted this,
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lotus-Elan-Co ... 6rk%3D1%26
its had its head cut off, is it still worth ?34k?
Bob

[fatboyoz]

Hasn't even got a centre console. Just carpet and something clubbed together to look like it.

Hi All,
I spotted this,
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lotus-Elan-Co ... 6rk%3D1%26
its had its head cut off, is it still worth ?34k?
Bob

[ardee_selby]

Hi All,
I spotted this,
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lotus-Elan-Co ... 6rk%3D1%26
its had its head cut off, is it still worth ?34k?
Bob

It was discussed a while back...

elan-f14/with-arches-t25103.html

Cheers - Richard

[Bob]

Hi,
I did not realise that it had already been pickup up I should have known. I note that it was in April, the topic started thus if its still for sale that would mean nobody wants to pay ?34k for it, speaks for itself and answers my question.
Bob

[nebogipfel]

To answer the original question .....

What someone is prepared to pay

[Spyder fan]

Hi Bob,
?34k doesn't seem an awful lot if you have gone through the financial pain of getting one restored, but it was restored in the 1990's from the description, so that could be over 20 years ago. And it was done to somebody else's taste and specification and therefore has a whole lot wrong with it to any informed potential buyer. ?25K would be a more genuine dealer price and 20k for private.

A converted from FHC to DHC car will make more than a FHC car to the same specification, but less than a factory DHC to the same specification.... if that makes sense?

I'm not too worried personally about the originality aspect of the DHC versus FHC and can't see why others get excited about it.

[Bob]

I am not that worried either about originality after all my S4 although a drop head does have a 6 speed box and now a 1700cc pinto block twin engine in it. But I am putting the looms back to standard, I could not get my head around the wiring as I bought it.
I also have a nice little +2 nearly ready at Spyder to collect and that is all done the Andy way.

My S2 is not exactly standard either although it now does not have the Cosworth engine in it's back to a Twin Cam.
Bob

PS Can you spot the heated seat switches?

[Spyder fan]

Nice pictures Bob, are those the early +2 seats in the front?

I call them Wiggy cars


The original +2 would have needed a push start in the morning which would get you all warmed up nicely, so heated seats are probably necessary with a Wiggy +2 as there's no real chance of getting yourself warm by bump starting the car or pushing it when it breaks down unlike the original setup.

Have you been given a finish date yet? Add a couple of months to whatever you are told, Spyder can't seem to get the hang of deadlines not being a moveable feast, but it's worth the wait and they are a whole lot more reliable than some other specialists I could name and shame.

My S4 Duratec is going back to Spyder in a couple of months for some re-covered seats to be fitted (black leather) I've only been waiting 6 months for them to be done! but luckily the original seats are very presentable so I haven't chased them too hard. Does anyone have any idea of the value of S4 seats in good condition?

[ardee_selby]

I'm not too worried personally about the originality aspect of the DHC versus FHC and can't see why others get excited about it.

P'raps others want to avoid the embarrassment of wearing a hairnet or the grief in fitting one to the car!...

Richard

[nigelrbfurness]

Regarding the car mentioned at the start of the thread, it s was originally on at ?39K so has been "reduced". I think there is a question as to the car's true identity. It is advertised as a series 3, but the only thing series 3 about it are the rear lights as far as I can see. I actually contacted the vendor to find out a little more as I was intrigued. He said "oh, the dash board's been changed to look like a series 4, they are very similar...". If you read the advert carefully, it is not genuinely a converted S3 FHC, it actually states it has had a new body shell or part thereof, assuming the rear end is the right shape for the old Vauxhall type rear lights, then I suppose that bit from behind the rear wheel arches back could be still "series 3". The shell is otherwise clearly to series 4 spec, and I'll bet it has a replacement chassis too. As such, its value should surely be that of a good replica - a nice car, probably a very nice drive but it will never be n original series 3 Elan. So as the one of the previous posters said, its worth what someone will pay for it. In my opinion, though it looks lovely, its a "bitsa". A Lotus collector or someone who wanted a genuine car and had done their homework wouldn't look twice at it. I'm guessing that if it gets sold at all, it'll be for less than ?20K. As someone (Neil Shepherdson, in fact) once said of my very first S1 that I had painstakingly resprayed to look like a Sprint (I was 18 at the time) "ah yes, ripe for a full restoration..."

Nigel Furness

[Spyder fan]

I'm not too worried personally about the originality aspect of the DHC versus FHC and can't see why others get excited about it.

P'raps others want to avoid the embarrassment of wearing a hairnet or the grief in fitting one to the car!...

Deflector.jpg

Richard

Or as perfected by Team Thomas. If you go fast enough in the rain the deflector keeps you dry as well

[nebogipfel]

If you go fast enough in the rain the deflector keeps you dry as well

We seem to manage quite well in the rain without the greenhouse ......

I bet your tomatoes do better than ours

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Re originality, as I keep banging on, very few Elans are original after 40 or 50 years. Many have had loads of parts and work up to and including full restoration and to say they are somehow lesser for it is nonsense in my opinion. The same criticism could be levelled at most of the cars advertised in "Classic and Sportscar" (for example). True timewarp cars are very rare and are valued by a certain type of car enthusiast regardless of condition it seems. I'd want to repair/restore and let that become part of the history of the car; whatever that's worth! We all bang on about history files and documentation but how much difference do they actually make in the eyes of a car buyer?

I do suspect, but obviously have no proof, that in the future radically modified cars will become less desirable, but that's another debate entirely.

[garyeanderson]

Looks like a nice driver, if you were ashamed to be seen in it then don't buy it. Lots of issues of being a bitsa but many Elans are and I don't see the problem. Every seat needs an ass and so does this one. The price may not be in my range but not many are any more. That said Steve just picked up an S4 for money that was current 25 years ago Yes it needs every thing but Steve can do the work and he'll have a nice "original" S4 when he's done. The bottom line is that the Elan in question is what ever the paper work says it is 36/xxxx and nothing else. Anyone know what the unit number is? The doors, chrome window frames, door panels, crash pad, dash, switches, steering wheel, valve cover, radiator, boot handle, all say S4 to me, Valve cover cap and tail lamps look correct though. I like the arch flairs and front bumper. The door fit looks to have been "fixed". As someone else said, worth what ever some one will pay, start high, you can always lower the price, it's hard to work it the other way though.

[nebogipfel]

As someone else said, worth what ever some one will pay......

Aw-Shucks Gary, you've quoted me ..........that's made me feel all warm inside

[garyeanderson]

As someone else said, worth what ever some one will pay......

Aw-Shucks Gary, you've quoted me ..........that's made me feel all warm inside

Elan For Sale in Vermont

No not you, We have had this conversation a few times before and that is Eric's quote I was referring to.

post164008.html?hilit=%20worth#p164008

A perfect example of the answer to the question, what's an Elan worth. People seem to continually ask that question and the answer is always the same, it's worth what someone is willing to pay, at that moment, and then, it changes...

Lots of "worth" with posts by Eric
1964-u123-posts.html